#54 Patrick Patterson | F
Stats

Hometown: Huntington, WV

Height: 6'9"

Weight: 235

Position: Power Forward

Team: Kentucky

Class: Junior



Strengths

Right handed....Patterson has very good size standing at 6'9" and has a chiseled 235 pound frame… He is an excellent athlete and quite explosive. He is a quick leaper, whether its attacking the offensive or defensive glass or challenging shots inside… Patterson's biggest strength is how strong he goes up with the ball, as he is proving to be an exceptional finisher in the paint. He can use either hand around the rim and loves to go up and put home a punishing dunk… This season, with the addition of Center DeMarcus Cousins inside, Patterson moved outside, playing a more perimeter-oriented Forward and is showing great improvement on his outside shot and ball-handling abilities. Expect his field-goal percentage to dip and his turnovers to hike up, but the move to the outside should really help Patterson develop a complete offensive arsenal and help his NBA stock come June…

Weaknesses

Patterson's lateral speed and quickness is improving with his shift to the perimeter, but he still has below-average defensive fundamentals- he relies too much on his athleticism and size as he does not slide his feet well and he does not box out well. If teams play only one Big against Kentucky like Tennesse, Patterson will be stuck guarding true Small Forwards and natural perimeter players, which will cause problems defensively for the 6'9" Big… Will Patterson become complacent shooting jumpers or when the game is on the line, will he get into the post and score? Patterson had some sloppy footwork in the post and just average post-moves to begin with and now that he is spending less time in the post, can he be as effective? Last season, Patterson seemed to wear down at the end, playing nearly 35 minutes per game over the course of the year- can Calipari limit his minutes but still get the needed production?
The Scouting Report: